Coupler support



s. J. STRID 2,058,269 COUPLER SUPPORT Filed Feb. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4i urn/11111111 01/], r

Oct. 20, 1936. 5. J. STRID COUPLER SUPPORT Filed Feb. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC COUPLER SUPPORT sven J. Strid, Chicago,.lll. Application February 16, 1933, Serial No. 657,058 g 9 Claims.

This invention relates to striking castings .and carrying irons.

One of the objects of the invention is the prevision of a new and improved striking casting which .is cast integral and provided with a novel ..carrying iron.

Another object of the invention .isthe ,provi- .sion of .a new and improved carrying iron having .nove'l means whereby the same may be removed from thestriking casting.

.A further object of the invention isthe provision of a new and improved .centering device ..for coupler bar. supports.

-A stillfurther object of the invention isthe provisionof a new and improved centering device provided with a novel carrying iron or couplersupport interlocked therewith.

Another object of the invention is the. provision .of a centering device and coupler support having'a new and improved means for interconnecting the two whereby the support may be .readily removed from the centering device.

' panying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portionof a railway car showing the invention in position thereon with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a section on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a carrying iron; Fig. 5 is anend elevation thereof;

Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the yoke, cradle or carrying iron support;

Fig. 7 is an endelevationof a portion of a car showing a modified form of construction with parts broken away; i

Fig. -8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig.9 isa section on the line 99 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 10 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 8 but showing the carrying iron removed.

It is desirable that the striking casting be cast integral, as otherwise the fastening or holding means are likely to become loosened, lost or broken, and, as a result, the coupler bar will not be properly supported.

With the advent of the swivel butt on the cou- .pler bar, great difficulty has been experienced .knuckleon one-end of the bar and the enlarged swivel. mechanism on the other.

ing the same.

.The present invention seeks to" eliminate these difficulties and provide an integral striking plate or casting provided with a coupler support interlocked therewith that may be removedfor inserting'the coupler bar through the striking casting after which the support may be placed in position.

Referringv now to the drawings, the reference character Ill designates a railway car and H the coupler support attached thereto.

'The coupler support comprises the striking casting l2 which is castin one piecehaving the bufierland attaching portion [3 and the lower or coupler supporting portion II with an opening through the same for receiving the .draw'bar l6, as is usual in such constructions.

'The striking casting I2 is provided with'front and rear walls I 9 and 2| (see'FigB), which are connected together by a suitable means such as the ribs and 22 and by bottom wall .23. The

bottom wall slopes toward the vertical centerlineof the casting, asshown inFig. 1 and has an opening 24 through which water and dust that may collect in the casting mayescape. 7

Attached to each of the walls l9 and'Zl adjacent the bottom wall '23 at one side of the opening E lis, apair of concave ledges forming tracks 25 and a s'imilar'lpair of concave tracks 26 are located at the other side of the opening 24. These \tracks are arranged in a horizontal plane. The

tracks of each pair are arranged in spaced relation to provide an opening2T between thetracks of each pair through'which water, dirt and other foreign matter may escape from the tracks.

The draw bar 'I 6, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, may 'be of the usual or any well known construction and comprises the coupler head 28, the

' body portion 29v and the couplerbutt 3| which is porting the draw bar I'G within the opening l5.

In the form of the invention disclosed inFigs. 1 to 6, inclusive, which is by way of example only, this means comprises mechanism for automatically centering'the draw bar as well as supportmechan'ism comprises a cradle member 33(see Fig. 6), and a suitable carryingiron as will presently appear. The cradle L33. comprises the body portion 34 having on its underside concave recesses 35 and '36 which form tracksadapted to cooperate with the tracks 25 and .26 for receivvided with a horizontal slot orgroove 42 extend- "ing across the same adjacent to the body portion and, with a verticalslot or recess 43 extending downwardly alongthe center-line of theaarm v In the construction shown, this from the slot 42. Each arm is also provided with a recess 44 adjacent the upper end at its central portion. The arms are preferably, though not necessarily, provided with lateral extensions 45 and 46 which are adapted to engage the side walls l9 and 2| during the operation of the device for preventing the accidental removal either forwardly or backwardly of the cradle from the striking casting l2.

In order that the draw bar l6 may be removed without removing the cradle 33, a suitable detachable carrying iron 41 (see Fig. 4) is provided. This member may also be a hollow casting having a sand-relief opening 48 in the lower portion thereof so that water falling therein may escape. The carrying iron is provided at each end with lugs 49 and which are adapted to seat in the recesses 43 and 44 when the parts are assembled. The carrying iron 41 may be assembled on the cradle 33 from either side by causing the lugs 49 to enter the slots 42 and forcing the same inwardly until the lugs 49 and 5| drop into the recesses 43 and 44. The upper edge of the carrying iron 41 is provided at each end thereof with upstanding lugs 52 between which the draw bar [6 is adapted to extend. The lugs 52 will cause the carrying iron to move with the draw bar when the same moves laterally.

The lugs 52 are of such height that when the parts are assembled and the cradle 33 is moved laterally they will engage beneath the inner ribs 22 for limiting the further movement of the cradle.

The parts are so constructed that the cradle 33 may be inserted in the striking casting between the ribs 22 and the tracks 25 and 26 by first removing the carrying iron 33. After the cradle is in position, the carrying iron 33 may be readily placed in position.

Under ordinary operating conditions the carrying iron will be held in operative position in the cradle by gravity without additional securing means. If desired, however, means may be provided for holding the carrying iron in position in any emergency. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. In the form of construction shown, a lock bar 53 is employed for this purpose. It is rigidly secured to the projection 45 of the cradle and has its inner end engaging in a slot 54 in the adjacent lug 52. When it is desired to insert or remove a draw bar of the type shown in Fig. 3, the lock bar 53 is removed, the carrying iron is raised sufiiciently to bring the lugs 49 in alignment with the slots 42 after which the carrying iron is moved either forwardly or rearwardly which disengages the same from the cradle 33.

The carrying iron is of such dimensions that the additional space provided by the removal of the carrying iron will be sufficient to permit the removal of the draw bar from the striking cast- In the operation of the device, when the draw bar is moved laterally, the rollers 31 and 38 will travel along the concave tracks and constitute roller bearings. These tracks are elongated for permitting lateral movement, and, as a result of the roller bearings, the draw bar may be readily moved to either side but due to the concavity of the tracks, the bar will be elevated when moved in either direction and its weight will restore it to its normal central position where the bar is uncoupled from another car.

A modified form of the device is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In this form of construction, the centering device is eliminated, only the carrying iron being employed. As shown, the striking casting 55 is cast in an integral structure, as in the previous construction and may be provided with suitable reinforcing ribs 56, if desired. The marginal walls .of the opening 51 are extended inwardly at their lower portions to form the offsets 60 and each is provided with a horizontal slot 58 and vertical recesses 59 corresponding to the horizontal slot 42 and recess 43 of the cradle 33 in the construction described above. A vertical recess 6| is also provided in the upper portion of each offset 60 which corresponds to the recesses 44in the cradle 33.

In the form of construction shown, the carrying iron 62 is provided at each end thereof with an upper lug 63 and a lower lug 64 for seating in the recesses 59 and 6 I, as in the previous construction.

The carrying iron may be held by gravity alone or positively held from vertical movement by any suitable means. As shown, a hole may be drilled partly in the end of the carrying iron and partly in the offset portion 6|] and. a rivet 65 inserted in this opening, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

When it is desired to remove the draw bar Hi, the rivet 65 is removed, after which the carrying iron may be elevated and moved laterally for removing the same from the casting 55, after which the draw bar may be removed through the enlarged opening 51.

It will thus be seen that with either form of the device, the striking casting is an integral structure and is cast in a single piece with the draw bar opening therethrough, thus eliminating the necessity of using bolts or the like for securing the parts together with the attending danger of the bolts becoming accidentally or surreptitiously removed.

The carrying iron being interlocked with the striking casting in such a manner that the weight of the same and the weight of the draw bar assists in holding the parts in assembled relation renders the use of bolts, rivets or other detachable fastening means unnecessary except as precautionary measures. These features are considered important.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art and that changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

. I claim as my invention:

1. In a railway car, a striking casting having an opening therethrough, said casting being an integral structure and having elongated concave tracks in its lower portion, a coupler supporting member having elongated concave tracks on its lower surface, rollers between and engaging said tracks, said member having upwardly extending arms at'the ends thereof provided with grooves and recesses in the inner sides, and a carrying iron having lugs for engaging said grooves and for seating in said recesses, for supporting a draw bar.

2. In a railway car, a coupler supporting member, a carrying iron member and an interlocking connection between said members, said connection comprising slots and downwardly extending recesses on one of said members and cooperating lugs on the other of said members for engaging said slots and for seating in said'recesses whereby said carrying iron member may be removed by elevating and moving the same laterally.

3. In a railway car, an integral striking plate casting secured to one end of said car and having an opening therethrough, forming a supporting wall for a draw bar beneath said opening integral with said casting, said casting having front and rear walls, ribs between said walls, a plurality of pairs of elongated concave tracks located in a horizontal plane in the lower portion of said casting, the members of each pair being spaced apart to provide a space between them through which foreign matter may escape from said tracks, a cradle member having elongated concave tracks vertically above the first named tracks, rollers between the tracks on said casting and the tracks on said cradle whereby said cradle may move laterally and vertically from each side of the center line of said tracks, said cradle having upwardly extending arms at each end thereof, a carrying iron and interengaging slots and lugs on said carrying iron and cradle for holding said carrying iron on said cradle and means for limiting the lateral movement of said carrying iron and cradle, and when said draw bar is in posi-v tion in said opening, said cradle is removable from said striking plate casting only when said carrying iron is not in position therein.

4. In a railway car, a strike plate, having an opening therethrough a coupler shank extending through said opening, said plate having a pocket integral therewith below said opening, elongated curved tracks in said pocket, a cradle having elongated curved tracks, roller bearings between the tracks on said cradle and strike plate, said cradle provided with upstanding arms each having a plurality of recesses, a coupler support having a plurality of outwardly extending lugs at its ends for engaging said recesses, the lugs at each end of said support being adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof for holding said support fixed relative to said cradle, said cradle and support being removable from said pocket while said coupler shank extends through said opening only by first removing said support.

5. In a railway car, a strike plate at an end of said car provided with an opening therethrough, a draw bar having an enlarged end extending through said opening, the marginal sides and bottom of said opening being rigidly connected, said plate having a pocket below said opening provided with curved tracks therein, rollers on said tracks, a cradle member having curved tracks on its lower surface engaging said rollers, said cradle member having an upstanding arm at each end thereof, a supporting plate beneath said draw bar for supporting the same, vertically spaced interengaging lugs and slots on the adjacent surfaces of said arms and supporting plate for holding said last-named plate between said arms, the space between said draw bar and the upper margin of said opening being slightly greater than the depth of said slots whereby said supporting plate may be removed from said cradle without removing said cradle or draw bar from said striking plate.

6. In a device of the class described, a cradle for use on a striking plate having an opening therethrough for receiving a draw bar for a railway car comprising a body portion having curved tracks on its lower edge, an arm extending upwardly from each end of said cradle, each arm provided with slots spaced vertically, the upper slot opening upwardly and the lower slot opening longitudinally of the car and extending first I longitudinally of the car and then vertically, a supporting plate having an upstanding lug at each end thereof and provided with a pair of vertically spaced lugs extending outwardly from each end of said plate and slidably engaging said slots for retaining said plate between said arms, whereby when in use said plate may be removed for enlarging said opening by first elevating said draw bar.

7. In a railway car, a coupler supporting member for a railway car comprising a cradle member having a pair of concave track members for engaging rollers on its lower side and having upstanding arms at each end thereof, each of said arms having a plurality of recesses forming seats on the inner surfaces of said arms, said surfaces having channels therein leading to said seats, certain of said channels extending substantially horizontal and then vertical and certain other of said channels extending substantially vertical only, and a carrying iron having lugs at its ends for engaging said recesses and provided with upstanding arms at each end thereof.

8. In a railway car, an integral striking casting having an opening therethrough for the reception of a draw-bar, the marginal edges of the opening at the sides and bottom thereof being integral, the vertical dimension of said opening being materially greater than the vertical dimension of said draw-bar, means including a pair of supporting members extending above the lower marginal edge of said opening for supporting said draw-bar from said casting, said means comprising cooperating curved tracks and rollers for one of said members for normally positioning the same and for moving said draw-bar parallel to the center line of said car when moved to either side thereof and released, a pair of lug and slot connections at each end of the other of said members, said slots being spaced vertically for securing said lugs in operative position, the lower slots of said pair extending rearwardly and then downwardly and the upper slots opening upwardly and extending vertically downwardly in the plane of the downwardly extending portions of the other slots whereby said last-named member may be removed by moving the same upwardly and then forwardly.

9. In a railway car, an integral striking casting having an opening through which a draw-bar is adapted to extend, said opening being enlarged downwardly, a comparatively shallow pocket in said casting below said opening, a plurality of elongated curved tracks in said pocket, a cradle member in the lower portion of said opening having elongated curved tracks opposite the firstnamed tracks, rollers between said tracks for normally centering said member, said cradle member having elongated upstanding arms at each end thereof, the space between said arms being greater than the width of said draw-bar, each of said arms having a pair of slots therein, the upper one opening upwardly and the lower one opening SVEN J. STRID. 

